


Run

by edupunkn00b



Category: Doctor Who (2005), Sanders Sides (Web Series)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst and Tragedy, Canon Related, Gen, Other, soulmates au from the POV of the souls
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-03
Updated: 2021-02-03
Packaged: 2021-03-12 08:14:45
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 620
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29132406
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/edupunkn00b/pseuds/edupunkn00b
Summary: Janus has one final assignment.-------------This was originally written as the epilogue toMore Time With Youas the logical end to that story, but I decided it was far, far too dark to end that tale.Read only if you have a stronger heart than I.Spoilersss, sssweetie ....This story shares a multiverse with and contains spoilers for bothMore Time With Youand, especially, the earlier story,The Best of Humanity.
Relationships: The Doctor & The Master (Doctor Who)
Comments: 2
Kudos: 1





	Run

**Author's Note:**

> _Run, boy, run! This world is not made for you  
>  Run, boy, run! They're trying to catch you  
> Run, boy, run! Running is a victory  
> Run, boy, run! Beauty lies behind the hills_
> 
> _Run, boy, run! The sun will be guiding you  
>  Run, boy, run! They're dying to stop you  
> Run, boy, run! This race is a prophecy  
> Run, boy, run! Break out from society_
> 
> _Tomorrow is another day ..._
> 
> -Woodkid, Run Boy Run

"No, please, no ..." I'm curled in a ball on the floor of the Soul Assignment Council chamber, jaw clenched, hands tangled in my hair. I've given up fighting the tears coursing down my face. The Assignment clerk from all those years ago is crouching over me. _To hell with them. Let them see what assignment feels like._ "I ... I just can't ... I've chased the Doctor across all of time and space. I've lived so many lives. When does it end? When do we - " my voice cracks. _Get it together. Don't give up. Fight for yourself._ "When can we rest?" I'm just so tired. Tired of the pain. Tired of finding the Doctor only to lose them yet again and again. _... and again and again ..._

The clerk grips my chin and turns my face toward them. "You have one more assignment. This is your last." They swallow, something unreadable in their eyes. "I promise."

"No ... no ... no, you can't make me." I can feel the desperation pouring out of my mouth, out of my heart. _There has got to be a way out!_ "I'll wait here. I'll just wait here for the Doctor ... We've bonded, it's now just a matter of time! Please, please don't make me go through all of that again." With more strength than I thought they had, the Assignment clerk pulls me up to my feet and drags me to the closest portal. "No! **No, NO! Please ...** Please! I can't - I can't do it all again ... " Even I can barely understand my own words. "I can't, I can't, I can't ... I'll go mad ..."

"This was always where you were headed, Janus. Do you remember when I told you all those years ago that we didn't have a lot of experience with assigning souls to Time Lords?" I squeezed my eyes shut as though that could stop this all from happening. "You assumed I was talking about Thomas."

The clerk shoved me through the portal into my final assignment. I didn't have time to process their words before the darkness took me..

...

Time passed.

I have no idea how long I laid curled up on the floor in the Mindscape of my new host. Gradually, I started to feel the cold of the floorboards seeping through my clothes. Sound reverberated through the room. I slowly realized what it was - a heartbeat. I could feel my host's heartbeat thundering through me like the only sound in the world.

 _thump-thump-thump- **thump**_  
_thump-thump-thump- **thump**_  
_thump-thump-thump- **thump**_  
_thump-thump-thump- **thump**_  


The heartbeat was rapid and strong and ... not human.

My eyes shot open and I stood and pulled on the thread to the outside world. My host was tucked into a narrow alley with another young boy. His face ... he reminded me of ... "Shhh ..." the Doctor hissed in my host's ear. _How could I know that he's the Doctor? But it's him, somehow I know it's him! He's young, yes, but it's definitely **him**! _I felt a jolt of hope shoot through my chest. The Doctor hissed again, "Borusa's coming this way! If he catches us, we'll have to go back to the Academy!"

My knees gave way and I dropped back to the floor of the Mindscape. _No, no ... it can't be ..._ Throughout the centuries of chasing after the Doctor, I'd heard all of the stories of the Doctor's oldest friend. His _first friend_ from the Time Lord Academy. Two of my hosts had barely survived meeting him. My hands gripped my hair as I shook my head. _Not after all this. No, no ... it can't be him!_

 _thump-thump-thump- **thump**_  
_thump-thump-thump- **thump**_  
_thump-thump-thump- **thump**_  
_thump-thump-thump- **thump**_  


The Doctor grinned and grabbed my final host's hand, whispering, "when I count to four, _**run**_!"

**Author's Note:**

> _They say we are what we are, but we don’t have to be  
>  I’m bad behavior but I do it in the best way  
> I’ll be the watcher (watcher) of the eternal flame  
> I’ll be the guard dog of all your fever dreams_
> 
> _Oh, I am the sand in the bottom half of the hourglass, glass, glass  
>  Oh, I try to picture me without you, but I can’t_
> 
> _'Cause we could be immortals, immortals_  
>  Just not for long, for long  
> And live with me forever now ... 
> 
> -Fall Out Boy, Immortals


End file.
